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Keselowski in line for big NASCAR weekend: He has a good shot for the Nationwide, Sprint Cup races

June 28, 2012

Brad Keselowski is a favorite in Friday night's Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Dodge driver Brad Keselowski won't reach one of his career goals this weekend at the dangerously hot and humid Kentucky Speedway. He finished second in Thursday night's 225-mile Camping World Truck Series race, a result that ruined his chance of winning all three NASCAR races within 72 hours at the 1.5-mile track near Sparta.

But he's among the strong favorites in tonight's 300-mile Nationwide Series race and will have a solid shot in Saturday night's 400-mile Sprint Cup race.

“It's a bit of a career goal for me to be able to win in all three series on the same weekend,” the Penske Racing driver said before Thursday night's Truck Series race. “But it's not as much a goal as just winning in general and having quality rides that are capable of doing that and being at tracks that are great hosts for racing.

“This is the second time I've run all three, and you know . . . there certainly would have been better weekends to do it.”

Keselowski's other try at the NASCAR triple was at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring.

“Yeah, but Bristol doesn't really count because there's a day off [between the Truck Series and Nationwide races],” Keselowski said. “There's no recoup here, but that's OK because the heat doesn't bother me so much. I picked this place to run all three races because I like the track and the fan support here.”

If he chooses, Keselowski will get five more chances at a weekend sweep this year. The Camping World, Nationwide and Cup teams are together at Bristol and Atlanta in August and September, then at Fort Worth, Texas; Phoenix and Homestead on consecutive weekends to finish the season in November. Kyle Busch is the only driver to sweep all three series on the same weekend at the same venue, at Bristol in August of 2010.

Keselowski led Friday morning's final Nationwide practice session, one of four full-time Cup drivers who ran well. His best lap of 174.295 mph edged series rookie Austin Dillon, in a Chevrolet at 174.154 mph. Cup start Kevin Harvick ran 172.585 mph in his Chevy, with fellow Cup driver Kurt Busch fourth in a Toyota at 172.513 mph and Nationwide regular Cole Whitt fifth at 172.513 mph.

On Thursday afternoon, when the Nationwide teams had a short 55-minute practice session, the top 10 were Whitt, Busch, Keselowski, Hornish Jr., Sadler, Harvick, Stenhouse, Dillon, Hamlin and James Buescher. Later Thursday night, Busch won the Truck Series race over Keselowski, Ty Dillon and Matt Crafton.